Georgia Film Stories

Georgia is one of the top film-production centers in the world, thanks to the Georgians, small businesses and engaged communities that work together to create the best climate for storytellers to succeed.
In fact, the best stories in the business are the personal stories of the Georgians who work behind the scenes — whether it’s the production that has spurred new investment in a local community, the small business that has expanded to serve the industry, or the Georgian who has obtained professional training to become a crewmember on a set. Collaborating with industry partners and Georgia’s “camera ready” contacts, the Georgia Film Office is cataloging stories in Georgia’s film industry from across the state to tell the story of how “Georgia Film Works!” Submit your own Georgia Film success story.
Small Business Stories
Small business stories spotlight the local small businesses that serve Georgia’s film industry.

Production Stories
Production stories spotlight the impact specific movie productions have had in local Georgia communities.

Georgian Stories
Georgian stories spotlight individuals working in Georgia’s film industry.

Georgia Film Academy
The Georgia Film Academy is a collaborative effort between the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia to support the workforce in Georgia’s film industry. It is affiliated with more than 25 campuses across the state and connects Georgia students with production employment.

Dallas becomes the hometown setting for CW’s “Stargirl.” See where else the series was shot, and why a tax incentiative is just one of the many reasons “Stargirl” calls Georgia home.
“Council of Dads” producer Tony Phelan talks about how Savannah is in the DNA of the show.
Nora Clark did a bit of a zigzag on her way to a film production career in Savannah. But now that she's there, she envisions staying put.
"I came to Savannah to teach dance," she says. "I was finishing a class when a...
WaterMan Spring Water in Athens has been delivering water to film crews throughout Georgia. Founder Greg Reece used to work for the city of Athens but now has shifted to working full time for his small business that...
Dallas resident and electrical contractor Rick Harris started Harris Diversified as an electrical equipment rental company catering to the film industry. What began as a family operation, quickly grew to 14 full time...
Myles-Anthony Johnson, age 17, asked all the right questions, and that’s exactly the point:
• How do I get involved?
• What degrees would help me get into the entertainment industry?
• What are some of the jobs that...
Michael Monty grew up in Georgia, went to college in Florida, then planned to head to California to start a career in film... Only to discover there were more jobs back home.
"The infrastructure in Georgia just led to...
Georgia.org Content: Chelsea Lockhart graduated from SCAD with a Masters in Production Design and began her career as a production assistant. Because of the booming film industry in Georgia, she quickly was able to use...
Makeup artist, Travis Pates, has witnessed firsthand the explosive growth of the film industry in Georgia. And with this growth comes greater experiences and responsibilities for those in Georgia film production industry...
Greg Fischer grew up in Atlanta, but when he and his wife fell in love with rehabbing old houses, a friend suggested they move to where the action is - Macon.
When he entered the University of Georgia as a freshman, Kyle Hamlin had decided opera was his future.
"I thought I wanted to be an opera singer," he says. "I realized that was not the path for me, so I switched to...
Writer, actor and voice/dialect coach Kristina Reiersgard was in Savannah to produce a new independent film. To find extra work, she posted her credentials on the Savannah Regional Film Commission website and shortly...
There is no greater success story than a production revitalizing a community. And that is exactly what happened in Covington. The long-running TV series “The Vampire Diaries” used many of the landmarks in downtown...
Barnesville artist, Andrew Henry, found a way to marry his passion for visual arts and Georgia film. He worked on the set of HBO’s “Sharp Objects,” painting many of the murals in Barnesville which served as the fictional...
Back in the 1950s downtown Covington was a thriving retail center for Newton County. On the square shops sold shoes, clothes, jewelry, and furniture. There were restaurants, hair salons and barber shops. Then came the...
Georgia’s film industry is growing so fast, that Cinema Greens has had to expand multiple times. Started in 2013 in Hampton, the company dresses set, production sound stages, and event spaces with plants and decorative...
Growing up in Savannah, Lawson Bruen loved two things: the movies and the outdoors. He dreamed of working in the film industry and of becoming an environmental scientist.
Now 34, Lawson has accomplished the first with...
Nelson Burke has always been known as the “Engineer Guy,” supplying plastics-material for customers in the automotive and home-building industry. Then the film industry changed everything in his business. He now supports...
Catrina “Cat” Dygert hasn’t been wasting time. The self-described journalist and filmmaker has already co-written a screenplay that has been turned into a film; plays, monologues, articles, and reviews are on her resume...
Jantzen Winnig, a Covington native, grew up with a passion for filmmaking. He also was very fortunate to have constant productions filming in his backyard of Newton County. This allowed him to meet many directors and...
It was a rough time for C&C Draperies, a decades-old family business in Tucker.
About a decade ago, the housing market and changing times had crumbled the old business model.
“Nobody does residential draperies anymore...
For Ginger Steele of Columbus, Georgia's film and TV production industry provided a new career path in her 40s.
Ginger, now 51, was working in radio when Columbus State university began offering its associate degree...
Jordan Tyson followed in his father’s footsteps to become a lighting technician. Born and raised in Macon, he saw how his father made a 15 year career in lighting and gripping countless productions in the state. Jordan’s...
Recent movie production has drawn excitement from Macon residents. HBO has been filming off Cherry Street in downtown Macon, and city officials have been happy with the economic investment it has brought. Productions can...
